Introduction to PFC
PFC (Power Factor Correction) is a technology used to increase the effeciency and stability of the output voltages in power supplies. There are two types: passive and active. Passive is the most common and only corrects for poor AC input power. Active is more expensive and uses circuitry to reduce harmonics, correct for poorer AC input voltages, create better and more stable output voltages, and does all this with more effieciency. Over half of SilverStones power supply line contains active PFC.
Another thing SilverStone does right is the number of device connectors. With eight standard molex, four SATA, and two 3-pin Molex connectors there is little chance you will ever need Y splitters for power. The ST46F also splits the 8 standard and two 3-pin connecotrs between two seperate 12 volt rails. The amount of Amps (therefor number of drives it will run) is about 30% more than you will find on comparable Wattage power supplies. This means the 15Amps put out by the first 12 volt rail could run all your drives and the second 14Amp 12 vold rail could be just for your high-end video card if you are that paranoid about making sure it has a solid 12 volts that nothing else is drawing power from.
210 Watts combined load for 3.5V and 5V is good, but it would have been nice if they gave us the 3.5V + 5V + 12V max load. The -12V is .5Amps and 5Vsb make up about 16 Watts, but it's not safe to assume there is 134 Watts availible for +12V.
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